The 5 Best Spotify Alternatives

Key Points:

• Apple Music has a massive library with over 90 million songs, and for people in the Apple ecosystem already, the integration is seamless. One of its top features is lossless audio streaming.
• Unlike streaming platforms that rely on Ads and third-party promotions to pay their artists, Bandcamp allows artists to set their prices.
• Deezer is available in 189 countries and offers a similar library size and listening experience to Spotify. The music platform is compatible with almost every device that can get an internet signal.

Launched in 2008, Spotify is a top music service with worldwide appeal. They have over165 million subscribers, and their position at the top seems unshakeable. Spotify changed the way music streaming platforms operate. They still offer a free version, but who wants to deal with a barrage of ads in the middle of your favorite playlist?

Although Spotify is at the top, some music platforms are coming hot on their heels. Here at the 5 best Spotify alternatives in 2022.

1. Apple Music

Apple Music is probably the first app to come to mind when looking for a Spotify alternative. They have a massive library with over 90 million songs, and for people in the Apple ecosystem already, the integration is seamless. One of its top features is lossless audio streaming. Spotify’s lossless audio offers a more immersive experience and closer to studio-quality sound on the go. You have to use a different app to access podcasts, but the price is included with the Apple Music subscription.

While Apple Music has no free plan, there’s a 30-day free trial to test the waters before getting a premium subscription. The standard plan is $9.99 a month and allows you to download music, lyric playback, and high-quality audio options. If you are looking for somethin cheaper, consider Apple Music Voice, which is $4.99 a month. Unfortunately, this doesn’t include any special features and is only accessible via Apple devices.

2. Amazon Music

Amazon Music is another well-known service, and for those using Amazon Prime, it is worth checking out. It’s still work in progress, so don’t expect a massive song library or super high-quality sound. Amazon Music has three subscription levels that let you choose your preferred features.

The first level is Amazon Music Free, which is very similar to Spotify’s free version. You have access to the entire library but cannot choose specific songs, and are limited to standard-definition sound quality.

At the second level, you have Amazon Music Prime. This prime subscription gives you ad-free listening, but still at the SD audio quality. However, you cannot share this level with family or friends.

The final level is Amazon Music Unlimited. At $7.99 for one device and $14.99 for a family plan, this level gives you access to 75 million songs. You also have the option to listen in SD, HD, UHD, or Spatial Audio.

3. Bandcamp

If you are a fan of indie or underground artists, Bandcamp is the perfect streaming app for you. Artists do not have to go through a lengthy process to upload their music to Bandcamp as they do for Spotify. Unlike streaming platforms that rely on Ads and third-party promotions to pay their artists, Bandcamp allows artists to set their prices.

Bandcamp has zero subscription fees. As a user, you pay for the albums or songs you want to purchase. So, if you want to support small artists and ensure your favorite bands receive fair pay, Bandcamp is the way to go.

4. YouTube Music

YouTube Music is another top service and has a huge library that can rival Spotify’s. Besides the usual musical library, there is also parody, and cover songs. Long time YouTube users have access to curated playlists, or Mixtapes as they like to call them. You can sign up for YouTube Music with an existing YouTube account.

YouTube Music’s free version is pretty decent, and we rate it higher than Spotify’s free option. But if you want the premium option it is $10 a month and gets you ad free and offline listening.

5. Deezer

Although Deezer isn’t popular in the US, its global reach exceeds most of the other services on this list. Deezer is available in 189 countries and offers a similar library size and listening experience to Spotify. With 73 million songs, Deezer is an excellent choice for anyone. The music platform is compatible with almost every device that can get an internet signal.

Its free version is fairly similar to Spotify’s model where you can listen to playlists or albums, but you cannot pick specific songs. The first level of premium starts at $9.99 a month. It gives you access to ad free listening, allows you to pick, offers better audio quality, and supports offline listening. The last plan Deezer offers is Hi-Fi, which is $14.99 a month. Hi-Fi gives you all the features of premium, plus excellent high fidelity sound.

Conclusion

Whether you are fed up with a Spotify feature that you don’t agree with, or if you are just looking for another option, these 5 services will not disappoint. If you think we missed any Spotify alternatives, don’t be like that 21 pilots song and shy away, let us know.

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